Coast Guard Sector Guam holds change of command ceremony

Rear Adm. Vincent Atkins, commander for the Coast Guard 14th District, stands with Capt. James Pruett after presenting him with a Legion of Merit during a change of command ceremony at Naval Base Guam, July 7, 2017. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Lt. j.g. Iia Miller)

Chase is a native of Bay Village, Ohio and graduated from the United States Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marine Science in addition to earning a Master of Science degree in Safety Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Chase’s previous field assignments include serving as the deputy commander at Coast Guard Sector Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., as well as the Sector Sault Sainte Marie response department head. Chase received his flight wings in 1997 and accumulated more than 3,500 flight hours in variants of the MH-65 Dolphin helicopter. Other previous assignments include executive officer and operations officer at Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., command safety officer at Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, N.C., H-65 fleet instructor pilot at Coast Guard Aviation Training Center in Mobile, Ala., duty standing pilot tours at Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, Ga., and Air Station Kodiak, Alaska and lastly as a deck watch officer aboard the now decommissioned Coast Guard Cutter Chase.

Pruett will be the new chief of staff for the Coast Guard 11th District in Alameda, Calif.

Prior to assuming command of Coast Guard Sector Guam, Pruett was assigned to Coast Guard Sector Miami as the deputy sector commander. Pruett served nine years in several legal assignments as a judge advocate and law specialist. His assignments included serving as the staff judge advocate at the Coast Guard Academy and chief counsel to the superintendent in New London, Conn., deputy staff judge advocate for the Coast Guard 7th District in Miami and Staff Legal Officer Pacific Area/Maintenance and Logistic Command Pacific in Alameda.

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition ensuring all hands know of the shift in authority and that a duly-authorized officer is placed in charge of the unit.

Rear Adm. Vincent Atkins, commander, Coast Guard 14th District, was the presiding official for the ceremony.